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Can anyone recommend a side by side


Duckandswing
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I have been browsing the available side by side shotguns on guntrader for what seems like ages. I really fancy one but the various brands etc are alien to me I.e aya, kestrel, money Carlo etc. I would spend in the region of up to £1000, but preferably less.

 

The prettier the better. Any recommendations?

Edited by Duckandswing
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Now this confuses me, but what is the difference in the aya numbers. I know of the No.4 as well.

 

No expert but the Number 2 is a sidelock , I believe , the no 3 is a boxlock non ejector with 3" chamber and the no 4 a box lock ejector I think !

 

WW beat me too it at least we said about the same !

 

I have seen some very nice No2's go for £900 - £995 ish

Edited by fenboy
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For that sort of money look out for a nice AYA number 2 :good:

AYA are a very well respected company that have been going for a long time.

 

 

Agreed, I have a 36 year old AYA Number 2, lovely gun, under 5000 carts, new 5K plus but no one wants SBS these days in the UK, so value is only around 1k. Thats a hell of a lot of gun for that sort of money. Was not trying to sell mine by the way.

 

Other good SBS, the AYA number 4, Miroku MS150, Winchester 23 ( if you like a wide fore end) are all good guns.

 

A

Edited by Alycidon
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Not to hijack the thread, but at some point I want an old 20b sbs, Birmingham made, in nice condition, which still shoots well. Non-ejector is fine. Nothing posh, but has to be nice. If I keep an eye out (I'm in no rush at all) will I eventually get something like that for £1,000? (I've been looking and haven't seen the kind of quality I want for that kind of price yet, though people are always saying there are amazing bargains to be had in these kind of guns).

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Webley & Scott 700, I own one and it's fantastic to shoot, light, well balanced and twice last season I wiped somebody's eye on pheasants after they had missed with those ghastly over & unders....:)

Edited by Ttfjlc
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Good English boxlocks (especially non ejectors) can be bought very reasonably, and can be a real nice gun that will hold value. Nothing against AyA (I have 3) - but I think the value in an older English gun is better, and more likely to hold value. Note that most will have 2 1/2" chambers, but you would not normally want to shoot heavy loads from a s/s.

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Get one that fits. It's essential that you are either measured up properly for a shotgun or at least try the fit before you buy! As others have said, for that budget, I'd certainly have an AYA #4 BLE on my shopping list. Great shotguns.

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You wont go far wrong with any AYA, but please dont discount many of the other spanish boxlocks / sidelocks. I especially like the Gunmark Royale they were made by Arietta and Garbi, its worth bearing in mind these were built as copies of best english guns and many were finished by hand, I personally think the Spanish hastened the end of Webley and scott, but as mentioned previously you wont go far wrong with a nice W&S 700.

 

I love shooting with Side by Sides and think its great that the market is awash with them.

 

But dont tell the wife.

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I have always used a sxs cannot get on with o/u think its great that there are so many sxs on the market at bargain prices. Like as been said already the AYA 2, 3 or 4 are all good guns, I have owned a AYA non ejector, also a Winchester 23 another fine gun but I hear parts are hard to come by for the 23. I now own a Zabala single trigger, ejector, multi choke, 3 inch chamber and steel proof [1320 bar] this is in your price range and I recommend you take a look at one. I am very happy with mind.

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My brother who is a SBS man has a AYA Yeoman and has shot with it all his life to the extend that there is no blueing left on the barrels and thousands of cartridges have been fired through it and it has never let him down it was his first gun and he's coming 60. I had an AYA No 2 for 15yrs before moving onto O/U It had stunning wood and with the right cartridge a joy to shoot and never let me down either. You will not go wrong with an AYA.

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Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I think an AYA has got the vote so far. I'll have to hunt some down and have a handle.

Wabbitbosher will have something for you or

If you're near bristol you can come and have a play with my AYA can't fire it unless you want to come clay bashing some time but you're more than welcome

Edited by jonny thomas
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Buy an English gun with a name-you could be lucky and pick up a sidelock that needs a little work-a tatty stock knocks hundreds off and guys on this site like Demonwolf444 can make them pretty enough to bring a tear to your eye. You will be shooting a thing of beauty that has history to it and was built when we were the best Gunmakers in the world-you will also shoot for free as your investment will retain and, most likely, increase in value. Pick one up at a dealer and compare it to any modern gun-no contest.

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